Ostara (Spring Equinox) is a day of balance between day and night. It marks the time when the day will overtake the night in length. It is celebrated on or about March 20 with the date varying year to year depending on the degree of the sun.
Ostara is considered by some to be the beginning of the year. It marks when everything is new again and born anew. The origination of the “Easter Bunny” and egg hunts lay with this minor Sabbat. The goddess Eostre is said to have transformed herself into the form of a hare on this day and play with children in celebration of the rebirth of Earth.
Our Great Mother is honored this day as the bringer of new life. The coloring of eggs (especially red) is to symbolize her affect on birth. Having an egg hunt and decorating your home in bright Spring colors and flowers is a good way to observe the changing of this season. This is the time when everything is new again. Spring cleaning has great meaning. One should not only clean their homes to rid themselves of the clutter of the previous year, but also their souls and minds as well.
Banishing of negativity and emotional and physical leftovers of the previous year’s trials is a good idea in order to start this new period fresh and open. This is also a good time of planting to prepare for the harvests ahead in the year.
Religiously, this is a time of honoring the joining of God and Goddess, the mating which brings new life.
03-15-2006, 01:08 PM
Ostara - shorty from my EBOS
Linear Mode
